Assomption

Assomption is a high limestone island 700 miles south of Mahe and 17 miles south of Aldabra. The island is 7 miles long by 2 1/2 miles wide, covering 4 1/2 square miles. It was home to a huge bird colony until a guano mine opened in 1840 which destroyed the vegetation. The originally abundant green sea turtle population was heavily exploited; only a remnant population survives. Assomption has a landing strip which is the closest access to Aldabra.

Threadfin butterflyfish, Chaetodon auriga

threadfin butterflyfish

Blue-striped snapper, Lutjanus kasmira

school of bluestripe snappers bluestripe snappers

Giant clam, Tridacna gigas

tridacna clam

Black pyramid butterflyfish, Hemitaurichthys zoster

black pyramid butterflyfish

Northern Indian anemonefish, Amphiprion sebae

Mauritian anemonefish Mauritian anemonefish in carpet anemone

Emperor angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator

emperor angelfish

Wrasse

checkerboard wrasse

finger coral

Hawksbill turtle, Eretmochelus imbricata

hawksbill turtle over staghorn coral

Guineafowl puffer, Arothron meleagris

guineafowl puffer

Royal angelfish, Pygoplites diacanthus

regal angelfish

Coral grouper, Cephalopholis miniata

coral grouper

Potato grouper, Epinphelus tukula

potato grouper

crinoid

Steepheaded parrotfish, Scarus gibbus

sleeping ember parrotfish

Striped large-eye breams, Gnathodentex aureolineatus

coral wall with striped large-eye bream striped large-eye bream over coral

Striped butterflyfish, Chaetodon fasciatus

raccoon butterflyfish

Jewel fairy basslets, Pseudanthias squamipinnis

coral and anthias

Red fire goby, Nemateleotris magnifica

red firegobies

Forster's hawkfish (freckled hawkfish), Paracirrhites forsteri

freckled hawkfish

Black-spotted pufferfish, Arothron nigropunctatus

black-spottted puffer

Meyer's butterflyfish, Chaetodon meyersi

Meyer's butterflyfish

Checkerboard wrasse, Halichoeres hortulanus

checkerboard wrasse

Juvenile big-eye emperor, Monotaxis grandoculis

humpnose bigeye bream

Indian double-bar goatfish, Parupeneus trifasciatus

Indian doublebar goatfish

Sweetlips, Plectorhinchus gaterinus

sub-adult oriental sweetlips

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Last modified 5 November 2019